Views on BESRA
By: Grace D. Suminguit
Our government spends much budget for the Department of Education. This is to address the need of our country which is to have quality education to every child. To achieve this need, the undersecretary of the Department of Education together with his committee established some reforms and programs. They made some key reform thrusts for the fulfillment of the Education for All (EFA). This program of the Department of Education was established to provide basic competencies to everyone to achieve functional literacy for all. This project of the Department of Education was very significant to all Filipinos especially that we all desire to have brighter future.
We could not deny the fact that many of our fellowmen are poor. In fact, many of the Filipinos work hard just to eat three times a day. Our country is suffering from poverty. That is why there are still parents who could not afford to send their child in school even if the primary and secondary education is already free. Instead of sending their child in school, they let their children work as young as seven years old. You could not see these children in school but you can see them in the streets selling rugs, cigarettes and many other things. Others are in the damp areas looking for some thing to sell. This scenario is very much alarming. In the Children’s Rights, it is stated that every child should enjoy their right to education. It simply means that parents must send their child in school regardless of their status in living. That is the reason why the basic education was made for free so that everybody would have the access to education. I could not help but pity on the children that I see in the streets everyday selling anything or asking money from the by-passers. How I wish I could send them to school.
Aside from this, we also have another problem in our country today and that is the number of unemployed Filipinos. One of the reasons why we have plenty of unemployed people is due to lack of education. Many did not have a degree. In fact others did not graduate from high school or even elementary. As they said, these people are “no-read no-write”. They don’t know how to read even the simplest word and don’t know how to write even their names. Good thing that the Department of Education established another program and that is the ALS or the Alternative Learning System. This program is to address the problem of unemployment. With ALS, those who are unemployed were trained to earn their own living. They are taught how to cook, how to make handicrafts, how to raise pigs and chicken so that they can produce money even if they have not graduated from elementary. TESDA is also established to address the need of unemployment. Different skills were taught to the students. With TESDA, many Filipinos were already working abroad. They earn dollars and now have a good life.
Recently, the issue of K + 12 is already declared in public. This program of the Department of Education is no longer new since we have already heard of this long time ago about the bridge program. However, this time it is already push-through. It might not be effective this June but it is already finalized that there will be Kindergarten plus six years in the elementary and another six years in the high school in the succeeding years. I absolutely agree with this program because I have seen the good sides of it towards our youth. The additional two years in high school is very much needed for our students. With these two years, they can already acquire many skills needed in applying for a job even if they will no longer proceed to college. As we all know, many could not afford to go to college to earn a degree and be employed. However, because of the additional years in high school they will no longer worry for they can already choose many jobs after graduating from high school. It may be costly but it’s all worth it. We have to support this program because this is for the betterment of our youth.
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